November News

This month's newsletter is full of news and updates, including public consultations, and help with accessing health care locally:

• Respiratory conditions - free support 
• Child and adolescent mental health 
• NHS ten year plan - survey 
• Healthy Heart 
• Cancer screening 

As always, you can contact us if you would like to share your views on health and social care in Barnet.

Access support - if you have a  respiratory condition 

Do you live in Barnet, and have a health condition which means you regularly experience breathlessness?

If so, you may be eligible for a free NHS rehabilitation and exercise programme. You can speak to your GP practice about this, or self-refer if you have used the Barnet Respiratory Service before.

People who take part will be given a personalised, manageable six week exercise programme. There are the options of either attending twice weekly, face-to-face classes or taking part in a home exercise programme. Benefits include improved walking distance and an increased feeling of wellbeing: 

• Telephone: 03000 200 655 Option 1
• Email: barnetcopd@nhs.net

Inpatient child and adolescent mental health services 

The NHS in north London is seeking your views on inpatient Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services - deadline 29 November. 

Simmons House, an adolescent inpatient unit in Highgate, is temporarily closed following the death of a 14-year-old patient in 2023. The NHS is seeking the views of residents, including children and young people and their parents and carers, about arrangements for the next 18 months. The NHS proposals include:

• Commissioning three additional beds at The Beacon Centre in Barnet
• Expanding an existing outreach team, to help children and young people avoid being admitted to hospital
• Having more specialists to support those with learning disabilities and autism in their own homes 

To share your feedback, email elft.ncelengagement@nhs.net by 29 November, or write to: The Communications Team, NCEL Provider Collaborative, Robert Dolan House, Trust Headquarters, 9 Alie Street, London E1 8DE. For more information see the NHS North Central East London Collaborative website. 

NHS ten year plan - survey 

The government is asking for your views on the NHS. They have launched 'Change NHS', a consultation to help shape a 10-year recovery plan. 

On the Change NHS portal, there are several ways to share your experiences and opinions. First, there is a survey which is open to all. There is also a form where you can share your story in more detail, as well as a space to submit your ideas for change.

Printable versions of the survey are also available. If you have any questions, have a look at their FAQ page, or email changenhs@thinksinsight.com

Healthy Heart

Our Healthy Heart team have had a busy few weeks, working with dozens of peers in Barnet’s African, Caribbean and South Asian communities to promote heart health. 

We were delighted to deliver our four week course to a Nepalese Community Group in Watling Community Centre. See above a lovely picture of some of our participants alongside Healthy Heart team members, Salna Abdallah and Riffat Ahmed. A big thankyou to Councillor Kamal Gurung and to Khamir, the group’s CEO, who supported all four sessions. 

This month, we're continuing our collaboration with primary care providers. With the support of Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust, we're offering Healthy Heart drop-in sessions at Edgware Community Hospital Walk-in Centre, Watling Medical Centre and Grahame Park Surgery. We’re also running a workshop at Oak Lodge Surgery, and a four week course at Everglade Surgery. For this course, we are delivering sessions alongside the surgery’s Community Pharmacist, Well-being Coach and Dietician.  

Cancer Screening

Can you help the University of Cambridge understand peoples’ decisions about cancer screening? You can fill in their 20-minute survey until 1 December.

What is the problem?

• Cancer screening could save your life. But a false result could suggest an incorrect diagnosis, leading to further tests and potentially even unnecessary treatment.
• The purpose of this research is to understand how people decide whether to take part in screening, and particularly how they weigh up the chances of successful detection versus incorrect results.

What will this study do?

This study will help the researchers understand what people are willing to accept during cancer screening, to improve how screening is done.